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Symptoms of an Insect Sting Allergy

It’s normal for an insect sting to cause a mild local
reaction. This is not a sign of allergy and is not serious. It’s important to
be able to tell the difference between a normal reaction and an allergic
reaction. Any severe reaction, of course, requires medical attention.

Normal Insect Sting Reaction

Insect sting reactions can be classified as toxic or
allergic, immediate or delayed, and local, large local, or systemic.

The “normal” reaction to an insect sting is an immediate
local reaction. That means it happens within minutes or hours of the sting and
affects only the area where the sting occurred. This is not an allergic
reaction.

The symptoms of this type of reaction include:

pain

redness

swelling

itching that lasts a few hours

Large Local Reaction

A large local reaction involves redness and swelling over
a large area surrounding the site of the sting. For example, if you are stung
on your foot, your entire leg may swell. You may also experience fatigue, mild
nausea, and low fever. These symptoms may be alarming but usually resolve
within 10 days without treatment. A large local reaction is a type of
allergic/hypersensitivity reaction.
Although a large local reaction is normally self-limiting, people who
have previously experienced such a reaction have a 5 to 10 percent risk of a
systemic allergic reaction upon future stings. You will want to discuss these
symptoms with your doctor.

Delayed Reaction

A reaction is considered delayed if it begins more than
four hours after the sting. Rarely, symptoms appear a week after the sting.
These may produce the syndrome of serum sickness. This is a systemic immune
reaction.

The symptoms may include:

hives

fever

joint pain

swelling

chest pain

kidney pain

headache

general malaise

dizziness

loss of consciousness

You should call
your doctor if you have these symptoms.

Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a
severe, systemic allergic reaction and a medical emergency. This reaction
usually starts within minutes of the sting, though it may start as much as an
hour later.

The symptoms
include:

flushing

itching

hives

swelling in the throat or difficulty
breathing and swallowing

sneezing

runny nose

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

abdominal cramping

sudden drop in blood pressure

loss of consciousness

shock

Anaphylaxis
requires immediate medical attention. Give an epinephrine injection and
antihistamines if available. Call 911. If not treated promptly, anaphylaxis can
be fatal.

Toxic Reaction

If you are stung by
a poisonous insect, you may have a toxic reaction. This is not allergy but
rather the effect of the poison in the insect’s venom. The severity of the
reaction depends on the toxicity of the venom, the amount of venom injected,
and your tolerance for the venom. Symptoms include:

rapid swelling where the sting occurred

headache

weakness

lightheadedness

drowsiness

fever

diarrhea

fainting

muscle spasms

seizures

A toxic reaction
can be life threatening. You should call 911 for immediate medical assistance.